The pairings for the NJSIAA state basketball tournament were released last week and some of the expected matchups are a little out of whack, so to speak, especially in the Parochial B North bracket, where most of the state’s best teams reside.
As expected, St. Anthony gained the top seed in the bracket – and deservedly so. The Friars will be the two-time defending holders of the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions crown and they played some of the toughest competition around all season long, posting a 16-3 record, to earn that right.
However, the shocker came when the sectional bracket became official. The state’s No. 1-ranked team, St. Patrick’s of Elizabeth, is actually the fourth seed in the sectional. How that happens is beyond belief. Because they have a better record (18-2 compared to St. Patrick’s mark of 17-4), St. Mary’s of Jersey City has a higher seed.
Nothing against St. Mary’s great coach Tommy Lalicato and his hard-working team that has steamrolled through the HCIAA Seglio Division this season, but the Ramblers should not have had any prayer whatsoever getting a higher seed than powerful St. Patrick’s. But the Ramblers are the third seed and St. Patrick’s is fourth.
What it means is this: More than likely, St. Anthony will face St. Patrick’s in the sectional semifinals next Friday night, probably at St. Peter’s College’s Yanitelli Center.
Imagine that. The No. 1 team in the state facing No. 2 (St. Anthony) in a sectional semi, a game that should actually be a state championship game, if not the game of the year in New Jersey high school basketball.
The NJSIAA seeds its state playoff teams using two criteria: record and the enrollment size of the opponents. There is no consideration given to the strength of the opponent.
For example, if you’re a team that played St. Anthony, you get the equivalent of playing a Group I enrollment school, instead of facing the premier basketball program in America.
So that’s how you end up with a seeding system that will pit the state’s two best teams against each other in the sectional semifinals. Seems a bit bizarre, no?
Legendary St. Anthony basketball coach Bob Hurley doesn’t know if there is a solution to the madness.
"I’m not critical of the process," Hurley said. "I just don’t know if they (the NJSIAA) have enough people to do everything necessary to seed the tournament better. You just do what you can and hold your breath and hope you get a higher seed. The cutoff date (for qualifying) is Feb. 8 and then the seeding comes out like a week later. You need to have time to scout teams. I don’t know how they could improve on it (the seeding process)."
Added Hurley, "We basically battled all year to get either a home court or a neutral site for the semifinals (St. Patrick’s). That’s all you can shoot for. Rarely does it work out the way you want. You wanted to get a higher seed to basically stay out of Elizabeth. We’ll be playing in some form of a Jersey City game. That’s our accomplishment. We’ll then roll the dice and see what happens."
Hurley is more concerned with getting his team back in gear in time for another state championship run. In recent weeks, the team has had to endure some illness and injury, including a crippling high ankle sprain to workhorse senior forward Obie Nwadike, who is basically the heart and soul of the Friars.
Nwadike has had a tough time recovering from the severe sprain, which kept him on the sidelines for nine games. He came back to play during the Prime Time Shootout in Trenton last week, but it was obviously too soon, because Nwadike’s energy and intensity was limited with his inability to move.
"We’ve gone as far as we can with the other personnel," Hurley said. "We need Obie. We shut him down to rest him, so we can get him back in some capacity for the state playoffs. We’re still trying to figure out when we can play him at full strength. We know it will affect us and cause some chemistry problems, because he would replace someone who has been playing regularly for us for the last couple of weeks. We’re stuck between a rock and a hard place."
While Nwadike’s healthy return is still a question, Hurley has been encouraged by the return of sophomore guard Sean McCurdy, who missed most of the season with painful bone chips in his knee. McCurdy’s pinpoint shooting touch gives the Friars a needed boost from the perimeter.
"It’s good to get him back," Hurley said. "He’s worked extremely hard to get back playing. He adds some needed scoring to our backcourt and he’s good passer. He’s also getting good experience for the future."
Another sophomore who has been showing a ton of promise is diminutive point guard Derrick Mercer. When he takes the court, the 5-6 Mercer appears to be physically overmatched, playing against kids who are physically stronger and look about 20 years older than him. But don’t ever underestimate Mercer’s heart and desire.
"Before the season began, I never would have imagined that Derrick would start," Hurley said. "We thought we might be able to get him some experience here and there. But Derrick has started every game and has played awfully well for a sophomore. He’s getting better all the time."
Mercer’s showing at the recent Prime Time Shootout was very impressive, facing off against some of the best guards in the country, including Lincoln (N.Y.) heralded junior Sebastian Telfair, considered by many to be the best junior in the nation. Mercer more than held his own against Telfair.
So the Friars move on toward another state playoff run, with the hopes of securing state championship No. 24 for the school, moving another step closer to the national record held by Cheyenne High School in Wyoming – even if it may take a little more work earlier than normal.
Is there a solution to get the best teams involved in the Tournament of Champions? Hurley may have an answer.
"I think what they should do is take two at-large teams on a yearly basis, to go along with the six champions," Hurley said. "This way, you get to eight teams and you can actually have a better Tournament of Champions."
Whether the NJSIAA will listen to Hurley’s plea is another thing altogether. – Jim Hague